1. How far is consecrated life appreciated by the People of God, especially the young?

For example, when people say, “Why be a brother when you can become a priest?”, do you see that statement as an indication that they don’t really understand what consecrated life, including that of the Salesian brother, is all about?

What steps would need to be taken to enhance the esteem and appreciation for the consecrated life of the Salesian brother?

2. Considering the wide field of apostolate open to the Salesian brother today, should “the world of work” continue to be a privileged area for the brother’s apostolic mission? And professional schools?

What should be the brother’s contribution to the “transformation of the temporal order”?

3. How effective is the mutual and complementary exchange of gifts of brother and priest in our Salesian communities, and what could be done to enhance it?

What specific contribution can the brother make to enrich the community through his lay dimension?

4. How well do we in the Congregation and people outside grasp the true identity of the Salesian brother?

What are the aspects of his identity that are not properly understood and appreciated?

What can be done to present the true figure of the brother?

(Six mixed groups shared about four questions related to the ‘EAO situation of Salesian Brother vocation’) and later on shared with the Assembly:

Question 1. Understanding of consecrated life, its identity and implications: what steps should be taken to enhance the esteem and appreciation for SB vocation?

- It is not easy.

- Our presence is felt when we do something for the young. They appreciate what the SB do for them. It’s pitiful if we do not do anything for them. Mission and Identity go together. However, in society where the priest’s figure is powerful. Yet, if we do the work properly (for the kingdom of God: prophetic role), then, people appreciate.

- not easy to answer right away. But it takes time to explain and people understand

1. The image of the priest as somebody higher than the brother is cultural… we can’t do any thing about that….

2. To understand is different from to appreciate… people don’t understand the state of life of the SB but some appreciate SB more than the priest because for some people brothers are closer and easier to approach than the priest….

3. one needs to meet one SB to understand the vocation

4. parents approval is also a vital role in the vocation of the SB

What steps would need to be taken to enhance the esteem and appreciation or the consecrated life of the SB?

1. Being a SB is a special vocation because it is really difficult to understand it… we really need to explain the meaning of the SB to young people so that they would understand and later on follow it… to be a SB is a special vocation and the one who has it should be happy and proud to be one and be convince about it… formation should also be given attention to for the SB… the SB should also be given chance to go for professionalism in their own field…

2. if parents and people would see SB happy in their apostolate I think people would appreciate them even though people don’t understand their vocation

3. proposing the SB vocation can enhance the recruitment for the vocation.

- From both the people and religious themselves.

- The matter is to make people and us understand the meaning of our consecrated life, our commitment. Lay people who are not professionals do a lot of apostolate. The reason is that they know the meaning of their commitment. We ought to do the same.

- The religious life is understood superficially. They see differences but superficially. People do not really appreciate because they do not understand this vocation.

- the quality of his being a good religious is determining the promotion of this vocation. To be a good religious and to be professional in one’s work is necessary.

- Some religious sisters are the ones blocking candidates to the salesian brotherhood. Perhaps they themselves need to understand better the idea of the religious life.

2. Information about the identity.

- Personal contact with people is needed so as to make people know the role of the Salesian brother.

- People do not even know the meaning of a religious priest. Information is lacking in order to make people know about the religious life. This is true with religious priests. It is more so with religious brother like the Salesian brother.

- We can give information about the Salesian brother like youth camps and retreats.

3. Professionalism

- On the commitment to our consecrated life, it is important for us who are consecrated. Yet for outsiders, professionalism is very important.

- Professional preparation is needed in order to make the salesian brothers’ vocation be attractive.

QUESTION 1C

What steps would need to be taken to enhance the esteem and appreciation for the consecrated life of the SB?

1C.1 Help the baptized to live fully their royal priesthood.

1C.2 Help the baptized to see clearly the ideal of religious consecrated life, help the religious, both priest and lay, to live fully their religious consecrated life.

1C.3 Our outward style of life (work, joy, activity, etc.) is what makes impression on young people. So this is needed to attract young people to religious life. The work and joy of SB can be decisive in this. The next step, however, is extremely important: to reveal convincingly the roots of our life, the consecration of the vows, the patience of community life, the dedication to prayer etc. If this is missing, the young people who have been attracted, will be disappointed and leave. So make sure that both steps are present, first step of attraction by our outward life style, and second step of conviction by the witness of a truly religious consecrated life.

1C.4 The witness of the living together of Salesian priests and SB is essential for the perseverance of SB’s vocations. We must ensure this, otherwise young people who have been attracted to the SB vocation, will be disappointed in real Salesian life and desire to leave or to become priests, instead of persevering in their lay Salesian vocation.

1C.5 We must ensure an equal treatment of all Salesians in all aspects: spiritual care, financial care, etc. Especially in Asia, it is not so important how much you do for people, but how you do it. A lack of equality in treatment of people is something very destructive in Salesian community life.

How far is consecrated life appreciated by the people of God, specially the young?

Bro. Alex “the appreciation of brother vocation is difficult because of the clerical mentality”

Bro. John Wu “they don’t need to understand to appreciate…. but others appreciate brothers because bros are more close to them than to the priest

Bro. Tien “Difficult to explain to the people but if the applicant gets the permission of the parents its easy to live the vocation as long as the family agrees… young people ask the same question but they appreciate it more once they come to know a salesian brother… it is easy for Buddhist to approach brothers than priest

Fr. Vito “it depends on the culture… priest is higher than brother in the hierarchy that is why priesthood is easy to understand and appreciated”

Fr. Somrote “parents approval is a main factor for the salesian brother vocation”

Bro Fukagawa “they look to the priesthood as something higher that is why they don’t choose brotherhood but priesthood”

Bro Kikama “ his vocation was inspired by a brother… in Japan the image of the priest is high and the brothers are more close to the students that is why he opted for the brotherhood than the priesthood.

2. What steps would need to be taken to enchance the esteem and appreciation or the consecrated life of the SB?

Bro. John “Appreciation is different from wanting to be one of us… the culture still takes the priority when it comes to choosing the vocation”

Fr Vito “being a professional in your own field may enhance the vocation promotion for the SB. Working for the apostolate with different roles can lessen the idea of hierarchy. Becoming holly in the apostolate can make an impact in the SB vocation

Bro Alex “proposing for the SB vocation can enhance the recruitment for the vocation.

Fr. Dheparat “Being a SB is a special vocation because it is really difficult to understand it… we really need to explain the meaning of the SB to young people so that they would understand and later on follow it… to be a SB is a special vocation and the one who has it should be happy and proud to be one and be convince aabout it… formation should also be given attention to for the SB… the SB should also be given chance to go for professionalism in their own field…

Fr Vito “in the houses equal opportunity should be given to the priest and brothers… rectors should be very sensitive about this

Bro Ephrem “if parents and people would see us happy in our apostolate I think they would appreciate us even though they don’t understand our state of life

Question 2: What should be the brother’s contribution to the “transformation of the temporal order”?

Andrew – “privileged”…narrow work, to focus to the mission

Julius – “specialization” …we don't have brothers who are experts in their field.

Mike – demarcation between priest and brothers: everyone should be capable of doing the mission. Some are capable to specialize, others have their own mission

Ed – though we might need brothers of competence – In the world of work – are there other areas in need of competence (formation, vocation)

Dan – From the point of view of a priest, “privilege” confuses.

Andy – the figure of the brother is to get out in to the field, into the people because of their specific mission.

Julius – the need to have a capable and trustworthy brother. A lay brother will have a different impact than the lay. We cannot force them though if they have no interest.

Mike – the leadership of the Province should work together to prepare people in their areas. “Clerical Ambition!” should be avoided. In my view, create and promote the best for and by everyone for a better result of the mission.

Dan – there are still some SDBs have this attitude: This is my work, stay out!

Manny – Question #2 not evident in the FIS since due to the lack of brothers, some priest are assigned in running the shops or training centers.

Ed – recap: limited understanding of the brother. There are other areas as long as he is competent, or in areas that people can see them to understand them.

Julius – Srugi and Zatti, for a fact, are not that very qualified but were able to transform lives. On the other hand, there are very qualified SDB’s but you cant assign them anywhere anymore!

Martin -Figure of the Good Shepherd.

“World of work”

- Yes! The world of work must continue to be a privileged area of the Salesian brothers’ apostolic mission. It should not be neglected; it must be given preference though we must be opened to other works.

- clarification of the meaning of this term: technical field, professional schools, training centers, or any setting that aims to prepare youth for work; our proper field to be in contact with the poor youth

- each province must define clearly its idea of this term since each province has its own particular needs and situation of poor youth.

Transformation of the temporal order

- the witness of life of the Salesian brother together with his professional capacity is his contribution.

- living the values of sincerity and other genuine human values is a witness against common practices of dishonesty, injustice, etc.

- linked with industries that are in need of our help in training young people, the Salesian brothers role and influence are very important.

- lack of personal contact with the young by being in managerial positions is happening now; there is a need to change this matter to be more in contact with the young. Familiarity of the brother with the young is definitely necessary not only in the promotion of this vocation but even in the transformation of the temporal order.

A- Yes. This is still the privileged area for the SB. There are different needs of the young.

- There is the need for qualified brothers who can work.

- But not limited to technology but also to pastoral ministry guide.

- “Work”?: low/or highly paid work: different in different countries. dependent on the needs of the place.

B- Contribution: - professionalism of SB will change the society in inculcating correct values into the young (working attitude: honesty, justice: changing the working place).

* We maintain the priviledge of the Salesian brothers in the professional field.

3.How effective is the mutual and complementary exchange of gifts of brother and priest in our Salesian community, and what could be done to enhance it.

Fr Rolo as experience with his former community “there is really a complementarity between the priest and the brothers”

Fr Dheparat “Different brothers have different gifts and each gifts has to be used and shared by to the apostolate and that gives complementarity to the priest and brothers voacation”

Bro John “some people find it easier to approach a brother than a priest at least these people have a choice whom to approach and that is complementarity.

Fr Vito “Because some brothers are more immerse with the students they know more details in the life of these students than the priests that is why they can understand more their situation”

2. What specific contribution can the brother make to enrich the community through his lay dimension?

Bro Francis tien tran van “ being recognized as a brother in the community helps a lot and can encourage one to go on and grow more. Sharing the work is easier when one is recognized.”

2.1 considering the professional preparation

Fr. Dheparat “ professional brothers can a lot of good in the field of work”

Fr Vito “the expertise of the brother and priests should balanced well and build community life and not stifle or weakens the spirit of the community”

1. Rectors should be very sensitive to the complementarity of priest and brothers to avoid giving impressions that priests and brothers are at different level.

2. being recognized as a brother in the community helps a lot and can encourage one to go on and grow more. Sharing the work is easier when one is recognized.”

3. Expertise of the brother and priests should be balanced well and build community life and not stifle or weakens or destroy the spirit of the community

- They share with each other as long as they understand each other. They share problems, solution together. They become one. No separation in spite of distinction.

- One personal experience: there is no problem with complementarity. The matter is how we live our community life: everything in common, sharing responsibilities. Otherwise, the result will be reversed: no witness, individualism (also priests suffer too).

- Formation in common enhances the complementarity.

NB: the fact is there is no serious program for SB. We hope there will be.

• “We are all Salesians!” It doesn’t distinct a brother and priests.

• Give them the opportunity to study together because they will share together as confreres. Provide opportunities for them to share and be together.

• Brothers and priests work together in the apostolate/pastoral activity.

• Encouragement and sharing of responsibilities among priests and brothers.

• Do not stress too much in clericalism because it can destroy the effectiveness of working together.

• A lot of room for improvement in the complimentary and exchange. Our apostolate, cooperation with the lay partners, really encourage our mutual sharing of gifts of brothers and priests. The rector of the community is important for this cooperation and sharing of gifts.

• A good formation for young confreres; both brothers and clerics.

• Family Spirit in the community where everybody is welcome.

Contribution of the brother…

• Know his identity as a brother for him to be able to share his identity as a brother to the community.

• Visibility of the brother in the community and his professional competence.

• Show spiritual atmosphere in the community.

• Our witness to our prayer life.

Question 4: Do we and people understand the identity of Salesian Brother?

- Different answers according to each one based on his own experience.

- There is still something in reality: the SB is still considered as second-class by some priests.

- Those who are close to the SB understand them more. Those outsiders do not understand them quite well.

- It’s good that there are priests and superiors here to make decisison to change the situation

- Personally some SB do not have problems. Maybe how the person present himself.

- What can we do now? Strong move in our congregation for the SB presence in community: at least one SB. The presence makes people question about the difference between SB and SP. It depends on the rector and community to make the figure more visible.

Fr. Julius- the importance of mutual cooperation to help in the smooth running of a work. That is, good relations between the Rector and the Brother running the shops, or the Brothers Economer supporting the Rector’s vision.

Bro. Andrew – in history Vietnam had a lot of Brothers and priests but because of History, schools were confiscated, etc…the vocation became few. The good thing is that now, because of the good program vocations are again increasing.

Br. Ferdinadus – Brothers study now in Philosophy in Jakarta, then they go specializations. The superiors help the Brothers.

Fr. Prasert – 13 Brothers, they are distributed to at least 1 brother per house. But it's a bit hard since sometimes they are “overcome” by more presence of clerics. The challenge also is by culture, people respect more the priest. What they do now is to study hard to upgrade their capability.

Mike Lynch – the greatest compliment in a community is when ask about their status and their opinions/compliments.

Fr. Prasert – some have potentials-good potential-but were not maximized by the communities. So they feel that their potential is underused, leading to discouragement.

Fr. Dan – the wisdom of the congregation to have common formation at the beginning is to appreciate each others vocation. Their specialization will be later.

Fr. Julius – More than expertise, it's the contact and the important spark created by the presence of Brothers in a setting.

Bro. Martin - the identity of the brothers is not so appreciated because they are not always given responsibility.

Fr. Dan – Even if there are Brothers shining out in their mission and plenty of opportunities, there are still some SDBs with “Clerico Facismo” mentality.

Fr. Julius – There was a seminary made before in Cebu because there were vocations since there were aggressive recruitment before. These should be an inspiration.

4. … The true identity of the Salesian brother. Aspects of his identity that are not properly understood and appreciated:

• No confidence in the identity of the brother.

• Respect and support for the brothers will develop a true family spirit.

• Focus not on what a brother do but on what he is, i.e. a Salesian.

• We maintain our witness of our lay status toward lay people that we are religious, consecrated.

• Mixture of the 3 aspects (consecrated, lay, salesian) is the true identity of salesian brothers.

1. …esteem and appreciation of the Salesian Brother.

• Many lay people do not know and appreciate well the consecrated life and vocation itself.

• The answer to the question why become a brother not priest is that it is a vocation and one would be happy with his own vocation.

• Respect and accept ones choice of vocation.

4A.1 At Congregational level, the level of documents, the identity of the SB is well perceived. In Asia, however, owing to the strong clericalism, this How well do we in the Congregation and people outside grasp the true identity of the identity is not well perceived. Even the religious priests may tend to become simply priest and overlook their religious identity. So it is not the problem of the SB only, it is a problem of all the Salesians, including priests and clerics. There is a difficulty among us to appreciate the religious vocation as such. If it is difficult for us, it is even more difficult for the people outside, for our relatives, friends, etc.

4A.2 The clear Congregational ideal is not clearly expressed in Asia where the sense of hierarchy distinguishes two levels of participation in the Salesian vocation: the higher level of the priestly form and then the lower level of the lay form. Many times I have heard: “Either Salesian priest or nothing”. Don Bosco was a priest, but this means that we are not so able to see the heart of Don Bosco totally dedicated to the young, a heart that is realizable also in the lay form of Salesian vocation. Without the full presence of the SB’s vocation, there is the danger of overlooking the Salesian and religious heart of Don Bosco. The necessary complementarity of the priestly and lay form of the Salesian vocation is in danger if in a community there are no SB.

4A.3 At Church level there is the same neglect of the reality of the male religious vocation. Usually only priests, sisters, and faithful are considered.

QUESTION 4B

What are the aspects of his identity that are not properly understood and appreciated?

4B.1 Potential candidates for SB draw back from this vocational choice because they say that their family cannot understand why he could not marry and still not become a priest. That is, the family is ready to understand celibacy as a way to the priesthood; they cannot understand celibacy as a way to the lay religious life. They think that if one does not become a priest, the one should get married. The growing number of lay forms of religious life (like VDB etc.) will make it easier to appreciate also the vocation of the SB, because it becomes clearer that there are numerous forms of life, not only that of the priest, of the sister, and of the married people.

4B.2 In Vietnam only recently have we given greater importance to the vocation of SB. Years ago, in very numerous novitiates (e.g. 20 members), there was not even one SB. So the problem seems to be that even Salesian priests do not understand the vocation of the SB. Sometimes they say: “The SB does the economer, that is all”.

4B.3 The Salesian priest risks losing the sense of consecrated religious life, if he does not confront himself with the reality of the SB. Without feeling the essential complementarity between Salesian priest and SB, the Salesian priest risks being simply a diocesan priest.

4B.4 An aspect of the SB’s vocation that is neglected is the supreme value of the royal priesthood of the baptized. The ministerial priesthood is at the service of the royal priesthood of the faithful, including the SB in our communities.

4B.5 The Sisters see themselves like the brides of Christ. It is not easy to ask the male religious to see themselves as brides of Christ.

4B.6 This spousal spirituality is problematic for male religious. Some members of Congregations of male religious are in danger of becoming almost homosexual. They are in danger of giving too much importance to affective attachments, etc.

QUESTION 4C

What can be done to present the true figure of the Brother?

4C.1 All Salesians need to rediscover their fundamental vocation as a religious vocation. In particular Salesian priests, even elderly Salesian priests, may need such a rediscovery.

4C.2 We cannot avoid the spousal dimension of spirituality. On it depends the depth of our relationship with Christ. On it depends also the basic equality between all forms of vocations: priests, sisters, brothers, married people, etc. Of course, we must try the right way to propose it.

4C.3 We must try harder to present in a full way the lay nature of the SB’s vocation. Priests who think that they can command to SB even if they are not superiors have not understood their own identity and that of the SB.

4C.4 Given the prevalence of clericalism, it is essential to attack clericalism from the very beginning of religious formation. Otherwise, we will have Salesian priests who have nothing of Salesian and nothing of religious, and the SB’s living out of their vocation in our communities will always be a problem.

OPEN FORUM AFTER THE GROUP SHARING PRESENTATIONS

Summary of Fr. Chrys

1. Distinction between the Salesian Brother and Priest: “all are the same” does weaken the identity! Catholic Church has invested about 12 years into the identity awareness looking back at the Synods about Priestly – Lay – Consecrated Vocation. Where we are now? We should be clear about ‘who we are, what we are!’ That’s build the Church!

2. LAY does not understand the consecrated life! I agree, it’s obvious! It’s a deeper problem. We need to appreciate the lay dimension, the lay vocation in itself! How many Catholic lay – nurses, doctors, teachers, drivers (even employed in our institutions) do appreciate their job as a vocation? The whole lay dimension of Christian vocation is NOT YET understood, is not enough appreciated! Huge secular apostolate field to be reached out – to change the world from within! (LG 31). Exactly the same we can share about lay CONSECRATED LIFE.

3. There is a general psychological process, steps of the vocational choice [ to be come a driver, to become a Salesian: we can apply the same psychological steps]. That means, we need to have more live contact with the young people.

1. attraction

2. projection

3. apprehension

4. We acknowledge still the ‘two levels’ of Salesian life: priest above the brother! The church is still perceived as ‘power structure’, not as much as the ‘service structure’. Moreover, in East Asia – Oceania we live generally in authoritarian societies, all want dominate the others! It’s difficult for Christians to go against, to take a difficult way. There is a work at changing our old mentality (sketch of old and new Church model: capsized picture of Power and Service model!